His answer: create an environment that fosters trust—and shows a human side.

Chip Conley

"You have to start trusting people first and you have to understand the host's and the guests' underlying motivations—and make sure that they have a reason why hosts want to do a great job and guests want to actually review hosts who are doing a great job," says Conley, who founded the Joie de Vivre hotel chain before coming to Airbnb in 2013.

Conley says his goal, and what other companies can learn from Airbnb, is a dedication to helping customers and hosts communicate with each other, fostering an "environment where humanity exists in technology."

"So, technology can actually enable trust and it can actually inspire trust," he adds.